Charlie Coyle and Jack Studnicka might be the Boston Bruins’ top centermen in the not-too-distant future.
Suffice to say Coyle already likes what he sees in the youngster.
Studnicka, arguably the Bruins’ top forward prospect, is getting a shot on Boston’s training camp roster for the restart of the 2019-20 NHL season. He made a brief debut with the varsity early in the season, but he’s still developing in hopes of becoming an NHL regular soon.
Coyle was asked Thursday for his impressions of Studnicka, and the veteran’s response was glowing.
“You can tell Jack is growing and growing. He’s getting more acclimated to the pro game,” Coyle said. “He’s already done a great job down there. I know he’ll continue to do so and he’s right there. He’s a guy who’s pushing the rest of us up here to play our best. He’s up and coming. You can tell the skill he has. I think he has some filling out to do like we all did when we were his age, but he’s going to be a player. He already is. He’s going to keep getting better and better and that’s going to be huge for us. But you can tell he’s gaining confidence little by little and that’s gonna help his game, and he works at it, too. He’s not afraid to get his nose dirty and get in there. He’s got a bright future. We’re lucky to have a guy like him, especially down the middle.”
Due to the Bruins’ current center depth, Studnicka’s path to NHL ice time right now is as a winger, but he projects to be a center long-term.
